Electric!

Here's my '58 Royal Electric

Here's the non-working '57 w/ wide carriage

Any advice on how to even start working on the non-functioning RE is greatly appreciated!

My Stairway to Heaven

The heavenly steps of the Royal 5

The Royal 5 is such an odd machine. Not quite a standard sized machine, it is still far from portable.

Here my 5 is, next to one of my Royal 10s.

The type action is equally weird... it feels as if the keys are tilting forward. It's really a fun machine, but this particular one isn't working so well.

 It's missing some important piece in the carriage that keeps the whole carriage from sliding off the rails. For the life of me I can't figure out what that is, but it is still safe to use as long as I don't wobble it forward and back at the extreme end of the margin.

This particular one is from 1912, making it my oldest machine by a good decade. 

I got it on eBay a week or so ago, the seller had made the mistake of making a single-day auction with a low starting bid. As is so often with eBay sellers, it was mentioned in the description that the seller would chop the keys to save on shipping. Looks like another rescue!

Strangely, the platen is has a blue-ish tone to it. I think this would have been from a resurfacing job on it a long while ago, but I have no idea. 

I would have loved to write this post on it but the carriage rails really gummed up, so it doesn't 

advance well... yet

Here's tomorrow's teaser

Thanks for reading!

Picking up speed

So far I have been posting only about once a week, and sometimes even then I don't post.

Well, I've made the decision to post every or every other day until 2015 starts. I really want my blog to pick up speed.

I guess I'll start tomorrow... but for now I leave you with a teaser image.

All will be revealed soon!

Well, that's interesting...

Wasn't planning on posting tonight, but I was unwinding some old ribbon onto new spools to give it the WD 40 treatment. This is what I found at the end of the line:

A typewriter named Sandy

Sandy in her natural habitat, next to Hank my Swingline stapler.

The carriage lever has left a scar.

Pay no attention to the thumb in the upper left corner..

Oh Brother!

My most recent acquisition is this Brother Deluxe, and I am very impressed. No typecast today, looks like I'll be keyboardin' this one :(

I have to admit, I'm impressed. After a lot of crappy online purchases it is good to know I am still capable of making decent buys. At only $20, this is probably the cheapest online purchase I will run into for a long while.

I apologize for the hasty photos, I am just feed up with the terrible lighting in my basement. However, it is REALLY cold outside. I think it snowed yesterday...

 I really like the touch of this machine. It's pretty stiff, but given I love my Underwood 21 (aka Studio 44) I have a tendency to prefer stiff machines. Even my Royal KMM is stiff and I've neglected cleaning it in fear of it losing it's stiffness.

The case is very well designed. Never before have I seen a case that fit so tightly over a machine, no space is wasted! I can fit the typewriter and case in my backpack and still have lots of room.

Even though the machine itself isn't in the best of shapes, it came with all the original manuals, lotsa Ko-Rec-Type, and the original cardboard packing insert.

One thing that bugs me is the deformed keytops.. how does this even happen!?

Thanks for reading!

P.S. I looked up the embossed name on the ribbon cover and case. Apparently,  Sylvia Mae Hybl (actual spelling)  is in her 70's and lives in the town the Goodwill I bought it from. I would guess she was cleaning out her closet or something and found this. 

Thanks, Sylvia!

A keychop rescue

I just love that logo..